Page 114 of Hitting the Gap

“I’m not sure things are going to work out with Bailey.”

Smitty’s head snapped. “What? Why not? What are you talking about?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.”

The server walked up and set the pitcher of beer and stack of glasses on the table. “Can I get you anything else?”

“No thanks,” Gonzo replied. He grabbed the glasses and pulled the first one off the top, then the next until he had the four glasses lined up in a row.

“Talk,” Pete ordered.

“You ever think about what happens when you get traded?” He grabbed the pitcher and started filling the glasses.

“What do you mean?” Ryan asked.

“I mean, like for Peyton, what happens for her when it’s time for your next contract?”

Ryan’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“Like how does she feel about potentially packing up her life and following you across country?”

Ryan shrugged. “I still have five years left in my contract, so it’s not something we worry about too much.”

Gonzo rolled his eyes. “Okay, fine. Smitty, how does Kia feel about it?”

“Fine, she’s not too worried about it. She’s moved around a lot doing tattoos, so to her this isn’t really much different. She’s looking forward to being near her sister for a couple more years, but other than that it’s an adventure.”

That was definitely not how Bailey saw things. “And Kendall? You guys gotta be thinking about it. You’re a free agent like I am.”

“Yeah, we’ve been talking about it quite a bit. Her boss is really open to her working remotely as much as possible, since she doesn’t want to lose her. She wants to work from home a lot once the baby comes, anyway.”

“Hold up.” Ryan shifted in his seat. “The baby was planned? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Pete shrugged. “I don’t know. Wasn’t sure how long it would take to get pregnant and didn’t want the whole awkward conversation about us trying because trying means sex and you hate when I talk about sex with Kendall.”

“Well yeah, cuz it’s my sister and it’s weird. But you could have said you were trying. You were so freaked out when she was late a couple of months ago.”

“We weren’t trying then. Now we are.” That goofy grin popped back on his face. “I didn’t know my boys would be beasts and I’d knock it out of the park on the first try.” Pete held up his hand to be slapped.

Denying the high-five, Ryan shook his head. “Nope, could’ve done without that.”

Pete snickered, then looked back at Gonzo. “I take it this is what the fight with Bailey was about?”

“Kinda,” he replied. “So Kendall’s cool with moving after this season?”

“I don’t know that I’d say cool, but it is what it is. She’s talked about doing her own thing if remote is too hard. She gets headhunted all the time, she’s got lots of contacts, so she’ll find work. What about Bailey?”

“She has no interest in moving.” He hooked his thumbnail in the edge of the coaster.

“That’s tough. She’ll come around.”

“No, she made it pretty clear she was not moving.”

“Like end of discussion?” Pete asked.

“Yep.”

Pete’s forehead wrinkled. “But didn’t she move here because of her dickhead ex?”

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